How have you settled in at the University of Lucerne?

Patrik Hummel: I was fortunate to be able to attend various events and meetings during my first few weeks – the Philosophy Seminar summer party, the professorial council, the faculty meeting, and the faculty retreat. These occasions gave me the chance to get to know colleagues and and learn about topics from different departments. Of course, this process is far from complete after just 100 days, but such events certainly make the start easier.

What has been your highlight so far?

As unsurprising as it may sound, my daily highlight remains my commute through the breathtaking landscape around Lucerne. Especially after moving from the (equally beautiful) Netherlands to central Switzerland, the sight of the mountain ranges towering above the water has a special appeal. If there is any chance of me getting used to it, I haven't noticed it yet. I'm happy to wait and see.

Which course will you be teaching in the coming autumn semester, and what is it about?

In addition to the joint philosophy colloquium on final theses, I am offering three seminars. First, a proseminar on the philosophy of privacy, in which we will examine what privacy entails and why it is worth protecting, both from historical and contemporary perspectives. Second, an advanced seminar on transformative experience, based on Laurie Paul’s book of the same name – exploring experiences that fundamentally change us and our view of the world, and discussing whether, and under what conditions, decisions to undergo such experiences can be made rationally. Third, a master’s seminar on moral progress, asking whether it exists and, if so, what follows from it.

What are you working on right now?

One of my main interests in teaching and research is the philosophical reflection on individual and social phenomena arising from new technologies. These touch on concepts we regard as important for good reason, such as trust, sovereignty, justice, fairness, and solidarity. From a philosophical perspective, I find it particularly intriguing that new technologies do not merely increase or decrease these concepts. Rather, technologies and their effects can transform the very content of these concepts. For example, in an era of growing datafication and automation, it is natural to demand fairness and guard against discrimination. Yet these phenomena sometimes compel us to rethink what we mean by fairness and discrimination.

And what does the future hold?

One highlight on the horizon is the opening of the Zug Institute for Blockchain Research, to which my professorship in Philosophy and Blockchain will contribute. I am very excited to be part of the team and to collaborate in shaping a new, interdisciplinary institute within this dynamic and multifaceted field of technology.